


Koi

by faeriefirefly



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: 18OI AU Week 2020: Day 7, A Pinch of Angst, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Enabled by a Waffle, Fluff, M/M, Smitten Viktor Nikiforov...as usual, Unfairly Beautiful Katsuki Yuuri, the mildest of body horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24599440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faeriefirefly/pseuds/faeriefirefly
Summary: Written for the 18+!!! on ICE Server Discord AU Week 2020:Day 1 - Fantasy/Fairytale/MythologyDay 3 - SupernaturalDay 5 - SoulmatesDay 7 - FreeViktor opened his eyes, watching another tear fall, then another, dripping from his spiky lashes. Each droplet created the smallest of ripples, marring the smooth surface of the water, concentric rings growing ever outward until they disappeared. He closed his eyes again and shook his head, willing the tears to stop. They wouldn’t do him any good, and if he kept it up, he’d end up with a headache. He opened his eyes once more, to stare resolutely into his reflection and give himself a no-nonsense look, only to gasp when the eyes staring back up at him weren’t bright blue but rich mahogany.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 36
Kudos: 134
Collections: 18OI AU Week 2020





	Koi

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to the one and only Waffle for always cheerleading and planting the idea of a shrine setting, and to [Tutti](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tutti_writes/pseuds/Tutti_writes) for reassurance and the idea for the "Yuuri!" at the end! And of course, a big thank you to all my writer/reader friends on the [18+!!! on ICE](https://discord.com/invite/TYMxcAB=) discord server for your encouragement, always!
> 
> This was started as an idea for Mermay, then slated for Day 1 of AU week...as you can see, it got pushed back a few times but I made it for Day 7! I hope you enjoy!

Viktor wandered along the broad, well-kept paths of the ornamental gardens, seemingly aimless, but his feet knew where they were taking him. He was headed toward the heart of the shrine, to the koi pond, a vast, meandering thing more like a series of interconnected pools and streams. Viktor wasn’t quite sure if it was one pond or many. All he knew was that he was drawn there, to the carefully manicured banks and still waters bridged by beautiful, ornate works of art in a perfect fusion of form and function. He had been drawn to the koi pond since his first visit to the shrine complex months ago, when the trees had been bare, the water icy cold. That day, the day of his first visit, had been quiet, hushed, like the world was holding its breath, just waiting for Viktor to stumble upon the koi pond so it could breathe a sigh of relief.

The same quiet was with Viktor that afternoon, nothing distracting him from the way the sun filtered through the trees and cast dappled shadows on the path in front of him but his own thoughts. He hadn’t intended to go to the farthest pond in the very back of the complex, find his way to a disused path quite literally off the beaten track, not then and not this day, but that’s where he ended up, where he always ended up, especially when there were no other souls to be seen. He looked up, blinking, almost as if coming out of a trance, and found himself under the lacy leaves of his favorite Japanese maple, the softly curving boughs creating a sheltered spot, a secret spot that felt as though it were just for him. Smooth stones were strewn under the ancient tree, along the bank, boulders, really, big enough to lie on, something Viktor often liked to do. The stones hung over the edge of the pond just enough that Viktor could lie there on his stomach, head pillowed just so on his arms, and look into the infinite wonder of the pond. He settled himself to do just that, sliding his bag off his shoulder and lying on the sun-warmed stone, welcoming the radiant heat cutting through the slight chill of the spring air.

The pond was deep there, deeper than the other areas, deeper than he thought koi ponds usually were. Viktor wasn’t an expert but thought them generally shallow things, more conducive to keeping up with the demands of the fish they catered to and the accompanying aquatic vegetation. But there, the water was deep and still, so smooth Viktor could see his reflection in the surface. He lay on his favorite rock, his head pillowed perfectly on his arms, forehead and eyes hanging off the edge to look over and into the pond. A slight breeze stirred, dislodging a few locks of his long hair, making them hang over his face with the ends trailing into the water. He didn’t bother to push them back, tuck them behind his ears, and instead watched as the bright silver darkened to a gunmetal grey, water wicking up his hair in a slow crawl.

Cottony clouds lazily chased the sun, light flickering off the surface of the water in a dazzling array. Viktor watched their progress by their reflections, imagining the sky stretching past the surface of the water, through to a mirror world in the pond beyond. He let his thoughts continue to drift, his eyes cast down toward his own reflection. He stared at the water, at his own face peering over the edge of the stone, into his own eyes, wide and blue. He felt, as he often did while looking into the pond, as if he could see into his very soul. As if he could find whatever it was he was searching for, a great, undefinable _something_ to fill the gaping hole in his heart, the ache, the yearning he’d carried with him ever since he could remember. Usually subdued, beaten back with conscious effort until it was second nature, the longing suddenly rose within him, roaring so fiercely he had to close his eyes, screwing them up tight to fight against it.

He didn’t even notice his tears until one fell, loud enough in the relative silence that he could hear the gentle plop of it hitting the water. Viktor opened his eyes, watching another tear fall, then another, dripping from his spiky lashes. Each droplet created the smallest of ripples, marring the smooth surface of the water, concentric rings growing ever outward until they disappeared. He closed his eyes again and shook his head, willing the tears to stop. They wouldn’t do him any good, and if he kept it up, he’d end up with a headache. He opened his eyes once more, to stare resolutely into his reflection and give himself a no-nonsense look, only to gasp when the eyes staring back up at him weren’t bright blue but rich mahogany.

Framed by long, dark lashes and set in a face so lovely, Viktor was certain it couldn’t be real, big brown eyes stared up into his own. The plump pink lips below the pert nose were parted slightly and dark hair waved around the man’s head, moving slightly in an unseen underwater current. But most curious, the smooth, soft-looking skin of his cheekbones feathered into a subtle pattern of small scales before flowing back into fins where his ears should have been. Viktor felt himself start to fall, tumbling head over heels despite staying firmly anchored to his rock. He inhaled sharply, leaning forward, his nose nearly touching the water as he inched closer, but he must have moved too fast, too much. The man, creature, beautiful boy below him vanished in a swirl of bubbles and flashing fins, red and black splotched on shining white, just like the most magnificent of koi.

“Wait!” Viktor cried, reaching down toward the water, but the boy was long gone. He sat up abruptly, wet strands of hair whipping into his face with a cold slap, bringing him back to reality. He wiped his face with the hem of his shirt and stared up at the sky, for once, instead of into the pond. “I’m imagining things, right?” he asked himself, but he didn’t think he could dream up anything so beautiful, so fantastical.

Viktor thought of the snippets of information he’d heard from tour guides over the past many months, about the patron _kami_ of the shrine, about the trinkets and tidbits he’d sometimes seen left upon the banks of the ponds instead of offerings only at the altar. He thought, and he wondered, and he thought some more, until he came to a conclusion. With one last, long look at the pond, he stood and started back down the path.

*

Viktor walked up the stone steps and through the _torii_ gate into the shrine complex with purpose instead of his usual ambling gait. Today, he was on a mission. He strode through the gardens, through the ponds, thankfully only passing a few others on the path. It was another slow weekday afternoon for the shrine since cherry blossom season had passed, perfect for his plans. He made it to the back of the koi ponds, to his favorite spot at the deepest pool, with nary a soul in sight. Instead of stepping onto the flat stone hanging over the pond, he settled on the grass at the water’s edge a little farther down the shore. He opened his bag, pulling out an insulated pouch and a pristine white napkin, laying the cloth out just so at the very edge of the bank.

An assortment of finger foods soon graced the napkin: slices of subtly sweet, perfectly rolled omelet; dumplings and spring rolls in paper-thin skins; sushi featuring a variety of vegetables and fresh fish; strawberry and green tea and red bean-filled mochi; small onigiri stuffed with tuna mayo and carefully wrapped with strips of seaweed. Though he hadn’t the time since the day before (nor perhaps the skill) to make the rest, Viktor had made the onigiri himself, feeling as if he’d needed to put more than money into his offering. He next pulled out a bottle of sake. The sweet, light _ginjo_ was Viktor’s favorite brand, and he opened it, pleased to find it had stayed somewhat chilled despite not fitting in his insulated pouch. He carefully poured the wine into a carafe, then filled a small porcelain cup, setting both on a small tray next to the napkin.

Task complete, Viktor repacked his bag, looking out over the water. The surface was as still and serene as ever, no sign of fish nor fowl nor mermen, only the reflection of clouds wafting across the clear blue sky. He rearranged himself to sit in _seiza_ and bowed as low as he could go, forehead resting on the springy grass, just shy of the water. He stayed there for a while, several long, slow minutes, before sitting up and pushing the hair back out of his face. “I’m sorry,” he said to the calm water. “I didn’t mean to scare you yesterday. Thank you for showing yourself to me. I—” He cut himself short, faltering in his mission. He couldn’t beg the beautiful boy in the water to come back. He couldn’t say what he wanted to say, that he felt something stir in his heart when he looked into those wide brown eyes, something he’d never felt before but felt like the echo of and the answer to the longing lodged deep in his chest, even if it had only been a moment. At a loss for words, he finally finished with, “I hope you enjoy the offering.”

Viktor stood, a little shakily after staying in the unaccustomed position for so long, and picked up his bag. He retreated to his usual rock, lying on his back this time, letting the warm stone soothe his tense muscles. The maple leaves danced overhead, swaying in the barest of breezes that whispered over his skin. His mind drifted, the sense of contentment the pond always brought him sinking into his brain and bones, relaxing him almost against his will, until he wasn’t quite sure if he was asleep or awake.

Then he heard a noise beyond the rustling of leaves in the breeze: the not quite splashing sound of something quietly surfacing. Suddenly awake, Viktor slowly, silently turned his head, looking over toward the offering he’d left. There was the merman, hair slicked back from his face, ear fins fluttering as he looked at the assortment, a small, pleased smile pulling at his lips. Claw tipped, delicately webbed fingers reached out from the water and grabbed a morsel. Joy filled the merman’s face as he chewed, a small trill leaving his lips when he finished, and he reached for another bite.

Viktor watched the merman eat, watched him savor every mouthful, watched his nose wrinkle when he tried the sake. He trilled and chirped, soft and happy sounding, as if he couldn’t contain himself, after each particularly good bite. His favorites were clearly the sushi and the onigiri, but the look on his face as the sweet strawberry mochi burst across his tongue was one of pure bliss, and he saved one of them for very last. When he was done, he simply slipped back under the water as quietly as he’d surfaced.

Stock still, Viktor waited a few long moments with no sign of the merman before sitting up, standing, and walking over to the now-empty napkin. It was as white and pristine as when he’d first laid it out, not a crumb left behind. Quite pleased that his offering had been so well received, Viktor packed everything up and headed back down the path.

*

Viktor’s regular visits to the shrine turned into near daily occurrences. Though he didn’t always bring a full meal, he brought an offering of some sort every day, quickly learning what the merman liked. He preferred food offerings, and would eat just about anything despite having clear favorites. He always waited until Viktor had been away from the offering for a while, lying still on his rock, before coming to investigate. Viktor wondered if the merman thought he’d fallen asleep and felt safer that way. Sometimes, Viktor couldn’t stay long enough to wait him out, and he’d return to find the offering gone the next day; he hoped they hadn’t been lost to the birds.

A few weeks passed just like that, Viktor leaving offerings every afternoon, hoping to catch sight of the merman. Then one day, after he’d not been able to stay long the day before, he came back to find something still resting on the white napkin. Or rather, something new lying there. A large agate met Viktor’s eyes, its sparkling white base banded with silver and splotched with red and black. Viktor knelt to examine it more closely. It was a gorgeous stone, polished smooth, bearing an unmistakable resemblance to the koi he so loved. He picked it up to find the heft and form of it fit perfectly in his palm.

A movement on the pond caught Viktor’s eye, and he looked over to find the merman had surfaced, big brown eyes just above the waterline and fixed on Viktor. As slowly and nonthreateningly as he could, Viktor turned toward the water. The merman simply stared, motionless, unblinking, as Viktor sat on the edge of the bank. Viktor gave him a tentative smile, slowly holding out his hand, upturned with the stone still on his palm. “This is lovely. I’m sure it was left for you.”

The merman’s brow furrowed into a frown, the tips of his ear fins sticking out of the water flicking back and forth like an agitated cat’s. He rose farther from the surface in a fluid motion, and Viktor could see the shine of scales scattered across his defined collarbones. The merman shook his dark head, making a noise Viktor hadn’t heard from him before, a low grunting sound. A dripping hand rose and gestured toward Viktor.

Viktor’s eyes widened as surprised delight suffused his face. “This is for me?”

The merman nodded, chirping once, and sank back down until only his eyes showed above the water.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely, fingers closing over the stone possessively. “You didn’t have to give me anything.”

The merman just stared, and Viktor stared back, soon flushing under the weight of those dark eyes.

“Ah, well, today I’ve brought you something a little different,” he hurried to say, reaching into his bag with his free hand. He didn’t want to let go of the stone but had to set it down to unpack the day’s offering. “It’s warm this time.” He laid out a fresh white napkin and opened the container, the tantalizing smell of freshly fried chicken wafting up and making his mouth water. He set the dish on the napkin and reached back into his bag. A cold can of Asahi joined the _karaage_ , sweat beading along its sides as Viktor popped the top.

Viktor looked over at the merman, who had risen slightly but was still mostly submerged. His ear fins were perked forward and his eyes sparkled, darting from Viktor to the offering, clearly excited to try the new treat, but he didn’t make a move. Viktor stood, slowly, carefully, and retreated to his usual rock. He stayed seated, watching the pond and the merman instead of lying down and pretending not to pay attention. It took a few more minutes, but soon, the merman’s curiosity won out, and he swiftly swam to the bank with just a few powerful strokes of his tail.

The merman tried the beer first, taking a small sip, and Viktor almost laughed aloud at the look on his face. The _karaage_ garnered a much better reception, though the merman seemed a bit puzzled at first, perhaps by the temperature. The chicken was soon eaten with his usual gusto, accompanied by soft little trills and chirps. He went back to the beer can, his face not twisting quite so much as he took a short drink, but it was clearly not any better the second time around and he focused on finishing his _karaage_. Instead of simply sliding back under the water when he’d eaten every last bite, he turned to look at Viktor. Their eyes met, caught, held for a long moment, then the merman smiled, small and hesitant. Viktor helplessly grinned back and watched as the merman’s smile widened in return, so much that Viktor could see his sharp teeth gleam in the sunlight, his eyes crinkle at the corners, before he disappeared beneath the surface once more.

*

Viktor’s next visit found the merman waiting for him yet again, the next day a little closer to the shore, the following day a little closer still. A few more weeks passed, until one afternoon, Viktor watched the merman surface just shy of the grassy bank. His heart raced but he tried not to let it show, tried to lay out his offering as usual despite his shaking hands. The merman watched him closely, and as soon as the container of sushi was empty, he reached for a piece, not waiting for Viktor to retreat.

Viktor busied himself with packing the container back in his bag, afraid he would reach out and touch if he didn’t do something with his hands. He desperately wanted to see if that dark hair was as fine and silky as it looked, the pale skin as soft and smooth, the scattered scales rough under his fingertips or blended seamlessly into the skin. Unable to draw out his task any longer, he clasped his hands, each gripping the other tight enough to be slightly painful, a reminder to keep them to himself.

Brandy brown eyes slanted a glance up at him from under sooty lashes as the merman selected another piece of sushi. Viktor had been sure to bring only his favorites, and he chirruped in delight as the butter-soft salmon met his taste buds. Viktor smiled at the sound, unable to help himself, and the merman smiled back before refocusing on the sushi. Viktor watched him enjoy his meal, entranced by his expressions from up close. When he finished, Viktor expected him to slip below the surface as usual, but he lingered, folding his arms on the bank and resting his head on them to smile up at Viktor.

Viktor smiled in return, drinking in the details of that lovely face, finally close enough to see the flecks of red and gold shimmering in those deep brown eyes. This close, he could also see the slashes of what he assumed were gills in the skin along the merman’s neck, under his jaw, so fine they weren’t visible from farther away. He realized the merman hadn’t been staring at him unblinkingly all this time, not quite, as a clear set of second eyelids slid over his eyes, then retracted.

The breeze picked up, blowing Viktor’s hair loose from where he had it tucked behind his ears. The long locks whipped in the wind, and before he could smooth them back, the merman reached for one, his hand darting out as quickly as a bird diving after prey. Viktor held his breath as the merman looked at the hair in his hand, rubbed the silken strands between his fingertips, making a face when they darkened slightly and stuck to his wet skin. He spread his webbed fingers, trying to dislodge the hair. Laughing a little, Viktor slowly reached forward to help, though he was careful not to touch the merman directly, unsure of how it would be received.

A pout graced that lovely face and the merman turned away as soon as he was untangled, diving under the surface with a great smack of his tailfin against the water. The merman popped up several lengths away, looking back over his shoulder. His pout faded as he turned to face the shore, eyes dancing with mirth at the sight of Viktor, dripping wet and spluttering on the bank. He let loose a burbling trill of laughter, and Viktor couldn’t help but laugh, too, wiping off his face. The merman watched a few more minutes as Viktor wrung out his hair and the hem of his shirt before disappearing again, for good this time, it seemed. Viktor packed up the wet napkin in his equally wet bag, resigning himself to airing everything out when he got home. He was glad it was a warm spring day, or he might have been a little more miffed and a lot more uncomfortable. But it still would have been worth it to see the merman so close, to hear his delighted, laughing trill.

The next day, the merman surfaced at the bank again, smiling up at Viktor as he placed his offering. After he happily ate the sweets and drank the tea Viktor had brought, he once again lingered at the water’s edge. Viktor’s hair was firmly tied back in a braid, the long plait hanging to his hips, long enough for the tail to rest on the ground where he sat. The merman eyed it curiously but didn’t reach out; apparently neither of them wanted a repeat of the prior day’s events. They sat and stared at each other, each tracing the other’s features with their eyes, until Viktor finally broke the silence.

“It looked like you really enjoyed the offering today.”

The merman smiled and nodded.

“Would you like the same thing tomorrow?”

A slight frown creased the merman’s brow and he shrugged.

Viktor smiled. “A surprise then?” At the merman’s nod, he said, “I like surprises, too…” He trailed off, not sure of what to call the merman, before blurting out, “Oh, and my name is Viktor.”

The merman’s brows knitted together more ferociously than before, then he sank below the surface. Viktor sighed, not quite sure as to what about that exchange had offended him, but before he could move to pack up his things, the merman resurfaced. A handful of small pebbles was clutched in his claws and Viktor watched as he started laying them out on the napkin. He soon realized it was the beginnings of a kanji character.

“Your name?” Viktor asked, and the merman nodded, chirping, still placing each pebble carefully. Viktor’s knowledge of kanji was not his strong suit and he didn’t recognize the lines of the character in front of him, but he readied his phone and the Google translate app. When it was complete, he trained his camera on 勇.

“Isamu?” he read from the screen, but the merman frowned and grunted in response, then dove below the water again, coming back up with another handful of pebbles to start on another character. He tilted his head and chirped when he was finished, dropping the remaining pebbles into the water, and Viktor saw the completed 利.

“Yuri,” he sounded out, but the merman frowned once more. “Yuuri?” he tried again, elongating the U, and a brilliant smile lit the merman’s face, accompanied by a lilting trill. “Yuuri,” he repeated, smiling wide himself, loving the feel of the name on his lips.

Yuuri rested his arms on the bank again, lazily flapping his tail in the water as he looked up at Viktor with sparkling eyes. Viktor’s breath caught in his throat, his heart hammering against his ribcage. He began babbling to fill the silence, and despite the nonsense he was spouting, Yuuri listened intently, seeming to hang on his every word, and Viktor felt himself fall even further.

*

A few lazy afternoons were spent on the banks of the pond, Viktor talking, telling Yuuri about his life in Japan, about his life back home in Russia that he didn’t miss at all despite the many differences. He tried to get to know Yuuri, too, by asking questions that he could answer with a shrug or a shake or nod of the head. But just as Viktor and Yuuri grew closer, the rainy season arrived, bringing heat and so much humidity, the air was thick like soup even when it wasn’t raining. It didn’t phase the merman, of course, but Viktor despaired, and his offerings often became waterlogged despite his best efforts. Yuuri didn’t seem to mind, still eating everything Viktor brought in its damp state, trilling with laughter at Viktor’s attempts to stay dry with his umbrellas and ponchos and plastic pants.

“Yuuuuriiiii,” Viktor would moan, complaining about his frizzy mane of hair and perpetually damp socks, and Yuuri would just laugh at him some more, but the merman didn’t seem to begrudge him leaving a little earlier than usual each afternoon to get out of the weather. It was Viktor’s first rainy season, and it had already been a few weeks with another month to go, and he suddenly found himself missing the mild summers of St. Petersburg, though he knew he would endure even if the rainy season lasted all summer long if it meant he could spend time with Yuuri.

But then a long stretch of days turned into weeks in which Viktor didn’t visit, couldn’t, for he’d caught a nasty summer cold that turned into bronchitis and then pneumonia. By the time he made it out of bed and back to the koi pond, the rainy season had ended and the oppressive summer heat had settled in. Lilies dotted the pond in bright splashes of green leaves and pink petals, but Viktor saw no sign of Yuuri’s dark head or beautifully colored tail. He laid out a napkin over an icepack, covered the cloth in the most delicious versions of Yuuri’s favorites until no white was left to be seen, then sat and waited. And waited, and waited some more, thankful for the shade of the maple to protect him and his offering from the brutal rays of the sun.

Eventually, dusk crept over the pond, the setting sun washing the water in brilliant shades of pink and purple, but still, there was no sign of the merman. Viktor was afraid most of his offering had spoiled, the ice long melted, and he was certain he was supposed to be out of the shrine complex by the time dark fell. But he didn’t care; he had to see Yuuri, even empty-handed, had to explain. The longing in his heart that had been sated somewhat as he’d grown closer to the merman was back with a vengeance, demanding he see him, no matter how long it took.

The full moon rose, painting a wavering white path on the surface of the water, the stars swathing the sky twinkling above and mirrored below. Viktor began to lose hope as more minutes ticked by, as the moon rose higher and higher. He shivered, his skimpy T-shirt and shorts not quite enough to protect him from the chill of the night air as the heat of the sun dissipated. He drew his knees up to his chest and huddled there on the bank for a while. When he could bear it no longer, he stood, making his way to his favorite rock, the one he had all but abandoned in favor of being right at the water’s edge, closer to Yuuri. He lay prone, breathing a deep sigh as he felt the sun’s warmth still emanating from the stone sink into his skin.

The breeze picked up, sending a few strands of silver into the water, but once again, Viktor didn’t care enough to brush them back. He pillowed his head on his folded arms, staring down into the black depths of the pond. He couldn’t see his reflection but he knew if he were to look into his eyes and see into his soul then and there, in the middle of the night after having not seen Yuuri in far too long, all he would see would be emptiness. He resigned himself to the fact that Yuuri wasn’t coming, not that night, maybe not ever again. He keenly felt the aching hollow in his chest at the thought, and this time, he didn’t fight the feeling as it reared its ugly head. He let it roar in frustration until it petered out into pitiful whines, mourning the loss of his merman.

The gentle plop of a droplet hitting the surface broke the silence, reminding him of the day he first saw Yuuri, and Viktor laughed bitterly as the water rippled and shimmered. Another tear fell into the water, then another, until the bitter laughter turned into ugly, wrenching sobs and Viktor feared he’d turn the pond to salt. Then he heard something else over his own crying, out on the water, and whipped his head up just in time to see the flared tips of an enormous tailfin sink below the surface.

Viktor sat up and scrubbed at his swollen, stinging eyes, but he saw no further sign of his merman. “Yuuri!” he called, “Please, Yuuri, please come back. I miss you.”

The water remained still, quiet. Viktor wasn’t sure if his pleas were falling on deaf ears or if the merman simply couldn’t hear him under the surface. But now that he knew Yuuri was out there, in their pond, his determination was revived. Viktor had to find him.

Viktor took off his shoes and socks, setting them aside, and swung his legs over the edge of the rock for the very first time, slipping from the overhang into the water. It was a little cold compared to the warmth of his rock, but not shockingly so, and he swam out to the center of the pond with strong, sure strokes, to where he’d seen Yuuri’s fins disappear. Holding his breath once he thought he’d reached the right spot, he let himself sink below the surface. The water was fairly clear, numerous plants and regular maintenance keeping the pond clean despite the number of koi, but it was too dark to see much of anything, even with the light of the moon. His hair swirled around him, further hindering his vision.

He surfaced, pushing his hair out of his face. With deft fingers, he quickly wove the silver strands into a braid as he treaded water. Then he ducked below the waterline again. Yuuri could be anywhere, at the bottom of the pond, in another pool altogether, but Viktor was determined to find him. He dipped into the water again and again, searching desperately for the flash of white scales to no avail. When he surfaced for the nth time, breaths now coming in labored pants, he smacked a hand against the water in frustration.

Viktor was starting to tire, not used to so much exertion after being an invalid for nearly a month. But if Yuuri was still in the pond, he might not be much longer, so he dove yet again, keeping his eyes peeled for any hint of white scales shining in the moonlight as he swam. Finally, he saw something shimmer from the corner of his eye. He turned toward it, but his hair had come undone from its unsecured plait and wrapped around him. He tried to scrape it off his face, but it was near impossible, underwater and tangled so. Disoriented, Viktor struck out blindly, swimming for the surface. Or so he thought, but his hand hit something hard and he realized he must be at the bottom of the pond. He turned and kicked off the rocky bottom, lungs burning for breath.

When Viktor finally rose above the waterline, he was a sputtering mess, gasping great gulps of air. He had used his last burst of energy getting to the surface and his muscles were aching with exhaustion. He knew he couldn’t search for Yuuri any longer, not without drowning himself in the process, and he set out for shore. But he was so tired, he could barely keep his head above water. He sank once, twice, struggling to keep afloat, his limbs feeling leaden. He just needed to make it back to the bank, then he could rest. It wasn’t that far…but he sank again, black spots that had nothing to do with the dark of night obscuring his vision.

He drifted down, losing awareness as the black spots grew, eating away at his sight despite keeping his eyes open wide until he stared into an endless sea of nothing. Then he felt himself surrounded by strong arms, felt the water rushing around him, felt air hit his face. He coughed weakly as he was borne through the water at breakneck speed, his head held carefully above the surface. He was quickly laid on the soft grass at the water’s edge, rolled to his side. He heard something he couldn’t place, a shrieking almost, but it was muffled, sounded like it was far away. He coughed, spitting up water and bile both, groaning as he felt a hand hit his back repeatedly, prompting another hacking cough. He didn’t know how many times he coughed and retched, but he eventually drew a clear breath, the fresh air searing his throat and lungs.

Slowly, Viktor’s vision cleared, and he realized the shrill, panicked noise was coming from behind him. He turned, flopping on his back like a limp fish, still breathing in harsh, painful gasps, and could do nothing but stare as he finally saw Yuuri hovering over him. The merman had dragged himself up on the bank, only the tips of his tailfin left dangling in the water. His ear fins fluttered rapidly and his expression belied his distress, even without the keening he still emitted.

“Yuuri,” Viktor rasped, through a throat so sore it felt like he had been gargling glass.

The merman quieted, still making distraught noises, but they were more like whines or whimpers than wailing screams. Viktor watched his eyes gleam with unshed tears, liquid gathering at his lash line, then spilling over, crystalizing as it fell free, a shining, shimmering, solid droplet. Viktor felt it fall on his arm, followed by another, then another, until he was being pelted by tiny teardrops. Yuuri reached out, running a cool, damp hand up Viktor’s arm, across his chest, up his neck to cup his jaw. The touch was featherlight, a sharp contrast to the open hand pounding his back a moment ago.

“Yuuri,” Viktor said again, painfully. “Yuuri, I’ve missed you so much. I’m sorry I didn’t visit, but I was sick, and—” A slim finger pressed to his lips cut him off, Yuuri crooning softly as if to say he was forgiven, or perhaps he simply realized how much it hurt Viktor to talk. But Viktor still had something to say. He raised an arm shaking with fatigue and weakly pushed Yuuri’s hand aside, taking it in his own. He briefly marveled at the feel of his skin, just as soft as he’d imagined, before grating out, “Yuuri, I’m in love with you.”

The merman’s eyes widened in shock, then softened, and he let out a happy little trill. His hand turned in Viktor’s, interlacing their fingers as best he could with the webbing in the way. His other hand found its way to Viktor’s face again, slipping back into his hair, petting the sodden strands. Tears were still falling, plinking as they bounced off their brethren in the grass, but they slowed, and Yuuri brought their entwined hands to his mouth for a gentle kiss. His lips were petal soft and slightly cool to the touch, and Viktor longed to feel them against his own. Yuuri searched Viktor’s face for a long moment before he seemed to find what he was looking for and his eyes filled with determination. Then, as if he'd heard Viktor’s thoughts, he leaned down to place the softest, sweetest kiss on Viktor’s mouth.

Viktor’s achingly tired muscles screamed in protest as he leaned up to get closer to Yuuri, to deepen the kiss. His lips parted, tongue darting out to trace the seam of Yuuri’s mouth. Yuuri pressed closer, letting Viktor fall back to the bank with a groan of appreciation, both for the relief of strain and the feel of Yuuri’s lips parting for him, the tip of his tongue teasingly touching his own. Yuuri angled his head and deepened the kiss even more, and Viktor felt sharp teeth graze his lips even as warmth spread throughout his body, soothing the aches he felt all over and leaving tingling sparks in its wake. The hand of Yuuri’s that wasn’t still twined with Viktor’s wandered, from his hair down his side to the waistband of his shorts, then Viktor felt Yuuri’s claws slice through the fabric as easily as a hot knife through butter.

Viktor startled, but Yuuri had him pinned against the ground and he couldn’t have broken the kiss if he’d tried. A jolt of fear ran through him but he relaxed in the next breath. Yuuri was the one kissing him, was the one who’d saved him, his sweet, gentle, kind Yuuri. Maybe they were moving a bit faster than he’d imagined, but he didn’t mind, not really. He would do anything for his beloved merman. Viktor didn’t flinch as Yuuri shredded the remainder of his shorts and pulled them off, baring his lower half to the night air. But then Yuuri didn’t make another move. Instead, he felt Yuuri’s mouth become blazing hot against his own, almost too much to bear, a scorching current of _something_ flowing into Viktor from where they were connected, and the tingling warmth throughout his body intensified.

Foreign sensations assaulted Viktor, his skin feeling as if it had a mind of its own as it crawled along his legs, on the sides of his neck, over his ears. He felt almost detached from himself as he felt his skin shift, then his muscles, then his very bones. Something soothed him, protected him, a balm to and buffer from the alien discomfort of his legs melding into one limb, his feet extending into fins, his ears elongating and gills forming along his neck while his internal organs rearranged themselves. And still Yuuri kissed him, as if his very life depended on it, and maybe it did, because along with all the peculiar physical sensations, Viktor could feel new emotions flowing into him, along with the dangling threads of thoughts that weren’t his own. He suddenly knew that breaking the kiss now would have devastating consequences for him and Yuuri both.

As his new form knitted itself together, Viktor felt the warmth flooding through him start to wane. Scales sprouted over the freshly fused skin of his legs, an incredibly odd feeling, and he thrashed his new tail in surprise. Yuuri’s lips against his own gentled, became less demanding, and Viktor felt the stream of what he now knew to be Yuuri’s essence, his own lifeforce, his very soul, pouring into him fade away, though he could still feel it coursing through his body. The kiss evolved into a series of little pecks against his mouth, then scattered along his jaw and across his cheeks, his brow.

Viktor blinked as Yuuri’s lips left his skin, hardly realizing he had closed his eyes. His vision was sharper, crisper, everything more vivid. He saw the flecks of gold and red scattered in Yuuri’s gorgeous eyes mirrored in a swirling aura around him, saw flickers of what he knew to be his own silver and indigo mingling with and merging into the subtle glow, complementing Yuuri’s colors perfectly. He marveled at the sight, then at his own hand, still held in Yuuri’s, his nails transformed into sharp silver claws, webbing stretched between his fingers.

Yuuri smiled down at him, soft and sweet, and Viktor felt the love he saw in his expression brush against the back of his mind. He pushed himself up, tugging Viktor’s hand in his so Viktor sat up as well, and slithered back into the pond, pulling Viktor along with him. The cool kiss of water against Viktor’s new tail, his new gills, was wonderful. Yuuri released his hand and Viktor twirled, his hair floating around him in a silver cloud instead of twisting and tangling and trapping him. He could see clearly despite the dark, through the second set of eyelids that had automatically slid over his eyes to protect them, and looked down to see a sleek, sparkling white tail splotched with dark blue and black, the pattern much like Yuuri’s. He suddenly realized his shirt was still clinging to his torso, uncomfortably, and shredded it with his claws, letting the pieces slowly sink to the bottom.

He couldn’t truly hear Yuuri’s trill of laughter but he felt it, and he looked over at Yuuri in wonder. Yuuri was smiling indulgently, but he held out his hand and Viktor heard him ask, “Are you ready, Viktor?” as clearly as if he had spoken it, his voice as lovely and musical as Viktor had imagined.

Viktor rushed the short distance with a stroke of his tail and took Yuuri’s hand, his mind instinctively exclaiming a delighted, “Yuuri!” as a heart shaped smile lit his face, exposing his sharp teeth. Yuuri’s smile widened impossibly farther, and they set off hand in hand to explore the depths of their pond.


End file.
